It was a bit of a long winded explanation that could be summed up pretty briefly by saying there was no smoking gun to prove who was lying.
We know someone is lying, but without an independent witness (the only witnesses supported Jameis but they were also his teammates) or stronger physical evidence, there was simply no way to tell what happened.
Sadly, that is a problem in a lot of rape cases. No matter who is telling the truth, someone is getting away with a crime. If Jameis is lying the crime is obvious. If his accuser is lying, she committed perjury and in the process ruined Jameis’ reputation.
Here is what the judge had to say via Tallahassee.com.
As summarized in the preceding paragraphs, the evidence regarding the events that unfolded between you and (accuser) once in your room is irreconcilable. In light of all of the circumstances, I do not find the credibility of one story substantially stronger than that of the other. Both have their own strengths and weaknesses. I cannot find with any confidence that the events as set forth by you, (accuser), or a particular combination thereof is more probable than not as required to find you responsible for a violation of the Code. Therein lies the determinative factor of my decision.
You and your advisor have asserted that (accuser) intentionally fabricated an elaborate lie, but I am not prepared to conclude as much. A person’s mental state, whether it be the result of trauma, stress, anxiety, or the like, can affect the person’s memory which can possibly improve with time. In fact, this is a matter addressed in the training of hearing bodies. This issue was also addressed by Ms. Walker and Ms. Chatfield, a victim’s advocate who worked with (accuser). There is evidence that (accuser) was in such a state of mind following her encounter with you although I cannot conclude by a preponderance of the evidence that this encounter was nonconsensual and the sole basis for any such trauma.
Although there is much evidence regarding the amount of alcohol consumed by (accuser), whether and by whom (accuser) was given a shot, and whether (accuser) had been drugged, lab reports show that there were no known drugs in (accuser)’s system and that her blood alcohol level was within reason. Moreover, (accuser) stated that she was not intoxicated, and the consensus among witnesses was that (accuser), while having been drinking, was never at a level that impacted her decision-making abilities.
In closing, I have thoroughly reviewed and considered everything on the record before me and assigned it the relevance and weight I feel it deserved. Further, to the extent that objections were made to the hearing procedures on the record or in the hearing briefs, these matters have been preserved.